Gene was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in northern Virginia. "Throughout my early years my family would 'head for the mountains' almost every weekend from spring through fall. The mountains were the Blue Ridge Mountains and they still retain the same magic and beauty I felt and saw as a child.”

In 1983 Gene moved to Woodstock, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley where he established a studio, darkroom and gallery. "I was drawn once again to the special combination of gentleness, beauty and timelessness of Virginia's mountains and valleys. The changes of season, weather and quality of light provide an endless source of visual pleasure.”

Taylor primarily uses large format camera equipment and has always done his own darkroom work. "I'm more interested in communicating the feelings associated with what I see and experience than what a particular subject or location looks like. My personal involvement in working with the negative and creating the print is very important.”